RIP~ing – Scientific InquiryGrass

3rd Grade – Hokulani Maki Kobori (B-20)Chad Dela Cruz (B-

21)

Standards and Benchmarks

Standard 1: The Scientific Process 3.1.1: Scientific Inquiry - Pose a question and develop a

hypothesis based on observations3.1.2: Scientific Inquiry - Safely collect and analyze data to answer a question

Standard 6: Physical, Earth, and Space Sciences 

3.6.1: Energy and its Transformation - Define energy and explain that the sun produces energy in the form of light and heat

Observation (B-20):

The students went outside to the garden to observe, using their 4 senses. (No tasting!)

See: Tomatoes, grass, flowers, spiders, trees, stems, beans, dirt, ants, blocks, some places are wet

Smell: The tree smelled like a chocolate. The plants smelled like wet grass. The flower smelled like fruity. The leaves smelled fresh. The tomatoes leaves smelled minty.

Touch: Lumpy plants, rough tree, sharp grass, soft tomatoes.

Hear: Wind blowing grass, tomato plants was making funny sounds, ants moving, birds chirping.

Observation (B-21)

1. What do I see? A tree that’s leaning a little and is as tall as a 2 story building. Not too many leaves sways back and forth when the wind blows. But bottom half doesn’t sway. Center of all leaves doesn’t have much leaves. Bushy parts are easy for birds to camouflage in.

2. What do I hear? I hear not really anything from the tree.

3. What do I smell? I smells only a little other. I smell nothing.

4. What do I feel? I feel a rough surface, bumpy surface that’s canyon like.

Observation: (cont.)

Research Question:

B-20Does grass

grow better in the sunny areas than in the shaded areas?

B-21Why is there

grass growing in the sunny areas and no grass growing in the shady areas?

Background InformationB-20 Plants and grass need water and

minerals from soil. Plants need space, sunlight, and carbon

dioxide. Plants need sunlight because they need

the energy from the sunlight to change carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.

If there is no sunlight, the plants cannot use the energy (sunlight) to produce sugar and oxygen.

If they cannot produce sugar, they cannot use the sugar to grow and later die.

During the germination stage, the plants (seeds) need the proper temperature, enough air, and the right amount of water.

The plants need the proper temperature to grow. If there is not enough sunlight, then they will not have the proper temperature to grow. (Too cold or too hot)

The plants need water (right amount), soil, sunlight, minerals, carbon dioxide, and proper temperature.

B-21 Plants need sunlight to get

energy . Plants need soil (water,

minerals) to survive and grow.

Plants have roots to hold itself in the ground and soak up water and minerals.

Plants grow straight up to reach the sunlight so it can make sugar.

Plants need space to soak up water and minerals.

Plants need to germinate to become an adult plant.

Hypothesis – “If…, then … because…”

B-20 If we plant seeds in

sunny areas and in the shaded areas, then the plants will grow better (stronger, taller, bigger, and healthier) in the sunny areas because the plant will get more energy from the sun and produce more sugar and oxygen to grow.

B-21 If we plant seed in

sunlight and in shade, then the plants in the sunlight will grow and the plants in the shade will not grow because plants need sunlight to grow and if they don’t have space in the sunlight they won’t grow.

Method:

<Subjects> 25 cups in the sunny area 25 cups in the shaded area<Materials> cups (50 cups) gloves soil water seeds (bird seeds) pencils, papers, and erasers log sheets (notebooks) rulers

<Subjects> Grass is grown by students 25 groups (potted grass groups) Each student will be

responsible for 1 group.<Materials> Plastic cups Water Potting soil Grass seeds Pencils Log book

Method (cont.) - Procedure

Place potting soil in a plastic bucket so that the potting soil fills in approximately ¾ of the bucket.

Carefully add water to the potting soil so it becomes damp and moist. Mix the potting soil and water thoroughly to ensure that all the potting soil is damp.

Hand 2 plastic cups (red and blue) with drainage holes to each student.

Line students up or them in small groups and take turns filling up their plastic cups approximately ¾ of the way full with the damp potting soil.

Have students use paper towels to neatly clean off and wipe sides of their cups of any debris or excess soil and place the soiled paper towels in the trashcans.

Students collect approximately 20 seeds of grass and carefully scatter them on the surface of the potting soil in their cups.

Using their index finger, have the students carefully push the seeds into the potting soil so that it is about half and inch below the soil’s surface.

Place potting soil in a plastic bucket so that the potting soil fills in approximately ¾ of the bucket.

Carefully add water to the potting soil so it becomes damp and moist. Mix the potting soil and water thoroughly to ensure that all the potting soil is damp.

Take a plastic cups with drainage holes from the teacher

Respectfully line up in front of the bucket and carefully fill your cup ¾ of the way full.

Use a paper towel to wipe up extra dirt or soil from the outside of the cup.

Students collect approximately 20 seeds of grass and carefully scatter them on the surface of the potting soil in their cups.

Using your index finger gently push the seed into the soil about ½ inch deep.

Gently level out the soil so the seeds are covered with soil.

Selected students will place their cups in a shaded area.

Student will be responsible for watering their seed daily.

Procedure (cont.)

Gently level potting soil so that the grass seeds become covered.

Place the cups in designated areas: Red cups – outside/in the sun Blue cups – inside/ in the dark Students will be responsible for

watering their grass seeds everyday. Students observe their plants (red and

blue cups) daily and record their observation with drawings and measurements of their plants in their science composition notebook.

After 9 days, students will record their measurements (Height of Grass: Sunny and shaded) in Table 1. (Table 1: Growth of Grass Investigation – Group Data Sheet)

After collecting everyone’s measurements, get the mean height of grass in the sunny area and height of grass in the shaded area.

Then students will record their data in Figure 1 (Figure 1: Growth of Grass Investigation – Data Analysis Graph – Comparison of grass growth in sunny and shaded areas)

http://mk23.image.pbase.com/u10/beverley_h/upload/41353687.grass.jpg

Analyze the Data

By looking at the graph, we can say that:

the average (mean) height of the sunny area grass was 13cm.

the average (mean) height of the shaded area grass was 13.6cm.

the grass in the shaded (dark) area grew tall by 0.6cm than the grass in the sunny area.

1. Plants in the shade grew taller than the plants in the sun.

2. Outdoor plants were shorter and stronger while the indoor plants grew taller and weaker.

3. Indoor plants were a light green color while the outdoor plants were a dark green color.

4. Outdoor plants leaves and stems grew wider and the indoor plants stems and leaves grew thinner.

Discussion and Conclusion: B-20

Restate Our Hypothesis: If we plant seeds in sunny areas and in the shaded areas, then the

plants will grow better (stronger, taller, bigger, and healthier) in the sunny areas because the plant will get more energy from the sun and produce more sugar and oxygen to grow.

** We mostly agree with our hypothesis, but the grass in the sunny area did not grow taller than the other grass (in the shaded area).

** The grass in the shaded area grew taller without any energy from the sun. So, maybe plants can grow without any sun, but they will grow weaker. Research Question was: “Does grass grow better in the sunny areas than dark/shaded areas?” Yes! Grass grow better (greener, healthier, stronger, and fatter) in the

sunny areas because they get more energy from the sun to produce more sugar and oxygen.

CONCLUSION: Plants grow healthier, stronger, greener, and fatter when they are in

the sun because they get more energy from the sun to change carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen. Therefore, more sugar and oxygen are produced on the leaves means the plant will grow stronger and healthier.

Discussion and Conclusion: B-21

Restate Hypothesis: If we plant seed in sunlight and in shade, then the plants in the

sunlight will grow and the plants in the shade will not grow because plants need sunlight to grow and if they don’t have space in the sunlight they won’t grow.

Review the Results:We found that plants in the shade grew taller than plants in the sun.

Decide on your Hypothesis:We found that our hypothesis was not correct. The indoor plants without sun grew. Our hypothesis stated that plants in the shade would not grow.

Going back to the Research Question:Why is grass growing in sunny areas and not growing in shady areas? - Trees are soaking up the water and minerals from the soil so there is not enough for the grass to survive.

Next Step:

Share with others what we found and learned from this investigation.

More questions and ideas – Water the plants again (after not

watering for a week – fall break) – to see if they will grow back.

If they grow back, switch the areas to see what will happen.